In the crowded lanes of Moti Bazaar in Rawalpindi, the glow of colourful bangles reflects under bright shop lights as women move from counter to counter in search of a single item.
From viral trend to rare Treasure: Kashmiri bangles sweep Pakistan’s Eid markets
By Roy Zia Ur Rahman
ISLAMABAD, Mar 15 (APP):In the crowded lanes of Moti Bazaar in Rawalpindi, the glow of colourful bangles reflects under bright shop lights as women move from counter to counter in search of a single item.
“Do you have Kashmiri bangles?”
It is the same question echoing across markets this Eid season.
For many women, Eid-ul-Fitr — the festival of joy and colours — feels incomplete without the deep shades of henna and the cheerful clinking of bangles. But this year, a new sound has joined the celebrations: the delicate chime of Kashmiri bangles, whose tiny ghungroos are ringing through markets and social media alike.
What started as a viral fashion moment online has quickly turned into one of the most sought-after and surprisingly rare items in Pakistan’s Eid markets.
When worn together, the bright red, emerald green, golden and turquoise sets appear like a rainbow from Kashmir resting on the wrists.
From the historic lanes of Moti Bazaar in Rawalpindi to Islamabad’s busy shopping centres including Karachi Company, Aabpara and I-9 Markaz, traders say the demand for Kashmiri bangles has risen sharply this Eid season.
The bangles are easily recognised by their four small ghungroo-decorated kadas, paired with slim glass or metal bangles that fill the rest of the set. Customers can choose whether the filling is glass, metal, or a mix of both, creating colourful combinations that sparkle when worn together.
What has surprised traders most is the sudden increase in price. A set that was earlier sold for around Rs350 is now being sold for up to Rs3,500, while in many markets the bangles have become difficult to find.
In Moti Bazaar, Shaukat, who has been running Kiran Bangles House for nearly two decades, told APP that the bangles once had very limited demand.
“These bangles used to lie in our warehouses for years,” he said. “Then a Pakistani actress wore them in a video that spread on social media. Suddenly everyone started asking for them and our entire stock finished within days.”
Many social media users have linked the trend to actress Mahira Khan, whose elegant appearance helped bring the bangles into the spotlight.
Another trader in the market, Irfan, said almost every woman entering his shop now asks for Kashmiri bangles before looking at anything else.
“The other bangles we stocked are still lying in our cupboards,” he said. “But Kashmiri bangles have become rare.”
Trader Ahmed said the sudden demand just days before Eid has created pressure on manufacturers and importers.
“The demand rose overnight,” he explained. “There is very little time before Eid, so suppliers are struggling to bring enough stock.”
Shoppers say the popularity of the bangles is not only about fashion but also about admiration for Kashmiri culture and beauty.
“I saw them on Instagram and other social media platforms and thought they would look perfect with my Eid outfit,” said Neelam Shehzadi, a 20-year-old girl from the Gawal Mandi area of Rawalpindi.
She rushed to the market to buy a set but was disappointed to learn that the shops had already sold out.
At a shopping plaza in Malakabad on Murree Road, another woman searching from shop to shop said she might now have to visit Moti Bazaar to find the bangles.
Traders say that traditionally Hyderabad and Sukkur glass bangles have dominated Pakistan’s Eid markets. Popular varieties include lacha bangles, lacquer bangles, pearl bangles, metal kadas, stone-studded bangles and colourful glass sets worn by generations of women.
But this year, they say, the rainbow colours of Kashmiri bangles have overshadowed almost every other style.
“It feels like the colours of Kashmir have spread across the markets,” one trader remarked.
Hamza, a bangle seller at Malakabad Plaza, said his entire stock was sold out days before Eid.
“Now people who bought them earlier are even selling them online at higher prices,” he said.
Among the shoppers was Dr Kanwal, who had come to buy bangles for her daughter Anaya.
“My daughter has only one wish this Eid,” she said with a smile. “She wants to wear Kashmiri bangles.”
As Eid draws closer, the soft chime of ghungroos continues to echo through busy bazaars and social media videos alike.
This Eid the colours of Kashmir are not only seen in the valleys.
They are now shining on the wrists of women across Pakistan.
